Overview

Last seen: November 11, 1980, at approximately 5:30 p.m.
Location: Old service station/bar in Creston Junction, Sweetwater County, Wyoming.

Main circumstances: Williams made a telephone call from the service station and told his wife he was heading south to check an oil rig and expected to return home late. He was then seen leaving as a passenger in a brown or tan Chevrolet Blazer driven by another man. The vehicle traveled south on Highway 789. Williams was never seen or heard from again.

Detailed Case Breakdown

David Richard Williams Missing Person Case: 1980 Disappearance from Creston Junction, Wyoming

David Richard Williams was 33 years old when he disappeared from Creston Junction in Sweetwater County, Wyoming, on November 11, 1980. More than four decades later, Williams remains missing, his body has never been located, and public case records continue to classify his disappearance as unresolved.

Brief Case Summary

Last seen: November 11, 1980, at approximately 5:30 p.m.
Location: Old service station/bar in Creston Junction, Sweetwater County, Wyoming.

Main circumstances: Williams made a telephone call from the service station and told his wife he was heading south to check an oil rig and expected to return home late. He was then seen leaving as a passenger in a brown or tan Chevrolet Blazer driven by another man. The vehicle traveled south on Highway 789. Williams was never seen or heard from again.

The Disappearance of David Richard Williams

On the evening of November 11, 1980, David Richard Williams stopped at an old bar and service station in Creston Junction, a sparsely populated area of Sweetwater County. At approximately 5:30 p.m., he made a telephone call while at the station. According to case records, Williams told his wife that he was going south to check an oil rig and would be home late.

Williams worked in the oil-field transportation industry and operated Chances R. Trucking in Wamsutter, Wyoming. His company reportedly hauled supplies to oil rigs in the region, making a trip to an oil-field location consistent with his line of work. Public case summaries state that Williams did not have a history of unexpectedly abandoning his life or disappearing without notice.

The Chevrolet Blazer and the Last Known Sighting

After making the call, Williams reportedly left the Creston Junction location as a passenger in a brown or tan Chevrolet Blazer. An unidentified white male was driving, and witnesses reported seeing the vehicle heading south on Highway 789.

Authorities have publicly stated that the Blazer was believed to belong to David Barker Jr. of Upton, Wyoming, who has been identified in missing-person case records as a suspect in Williams’ disappearance. That designation should not be interpreted as proof of involvement or guilt; publicly available records reviewed for this article do not establish that Barker was convicted or charged in connection with Williams’ disappearance.

There are no verified public reports of Williams being seen after that evening.

What David Williams Was Wearing

Williams was described as a white male with brown hair and blue eyes, approximately 6 feet 2 inches to 6 feet 3 inches tall and weighing between 250 and 300 pounds.

When he disappeared, he was reportedly wearing a button-down shirt, jeans, large cowboy boots and a wedding band. He also wore prescription glasses with dark-colored frames.

Investigators Suspect Foul Play

Williams’ disappearance has long raised concerns about foul play. A Wyoming news report summarizing state missing-person information described Williams as someone investigators believe may have been the victim of foul play. His continued absence, his reported lack of a history of disappearing voluntarily and the circumstances surrounding the unidentified driver have kept the case open for decades.

The Sweetwater County Sheriff’s Office remains the investigating agency listed for the case. The Doe Network lists Sheriff’s Office case number 0148-80 and NamUs case number 52524.

Human Skull Discovered Near Wamsutter in 2023

A significant development drew renewed attention to Williams’ case on November 11, 2023 — exactly 43 years after he disappeared.

A hunter discovered a human skull in Wyoming’s Red Desert near Wamsutter. The Sweetwater County Sheriff’s Office opened an investigation to determine the person’s identity. Because the skull was discovered in the general region associated with Williams’ disappearance, Missing People of Wyoming Executive Director Desirée Tinoco publicly raised Williams as one possible identity. That suggestion came from a missing-person advocate and was not an identification by law enforcement.

In April 2024, the Sweetwater County coroner reported that examination of the skull indicated it belonged to a male approximately 25 to 35 years old. Williams was 33 when he disappeared, putting him within that estimated age range. The skull reportedly showed substantial weathering, and investigators had limited dental evidence because there were no visible cavities or fillings useful for comparison.

No publicly available information reviewed through August 2026 confirms that the skull was David Williams.

Human Remains Found Near a Carbon County Well Site in 2025

Another discovery renewed discussion of the Williams case in late 2025.

On December 19, 2025, an oil and gas worker discovered human remains near a well site on Bureau of Land Management property in Carbon County, Wyoming. Carbon County Sheriff Alex Bakken confirmed that deputies responded and that the remains were transferred to the Carbon County Coroner’s Office for examination.

The location attracted attention because Williams had told his wife that he was going to check an oil rig on the night he vanished. Tinoco again publicly identified Williams as one case she believed investigators should consider when determining the identity of the remains. Her comments were speculation based on the circumstances and geography, not an official identification.

As of the latest publicly available reports located through August 21, 2026, authorities have not publicly identified those remains as David Richard Williams.

Latest Status of the Investigation

Williams continues to appear in current missing-person resources as an active unresolved case. A Wyoming missing-person compilation published in 2026 still lists him as missing from Creston Junction, identifies NamUs case 52524, and states that his body has never been located. An active cold-case listing also continues to describe the case as unsolved.

The 2023 Sweetwater County skull and the December 2025 Carbon County remains are important investigative developments because each generated public discussion about Williams. However, there is currently no published law-enforcement confirmation tying either discovery to him.

Until forensic identification establishes otherwise, David Richard Williams remains an endangered missing person whose fate and whereabouts are unknown.

Anyone With Information

Anyone who witnessed Williams’ movements around Creston Junction on November 11, 1980; recognizes information concerning the Chevrolet Blazer; knows who accompanied him that evening; or has information about where Williams may have traveled afterward should contact law enforcement.

Even information that appeared insignificant at the time could help investigators reconstruct Williams’ final known movements more than four decades later.